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Journalists of one of South Korea's biggest commercial television networks, the Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) have been on indefinite strike since January 2012 demanding fair journalism. Around 400 unionized employees [ko] launched the strike, and the dispute is intensifying as more journalists, anchors and producers allege that MBC has omitted and minimized coverage on politically sensitive issues. On March 4, 2012, 166 journalists announced they would quit their jobs [ko] in protest.

Among the allegations are that MBC rarely reports on rallies against a free trade deal with the United States, and have underreported a questionable purchase of land by President Lee Myung-bak for his retirement home. Furthermore, MBC's president, Kim Jae-chul stands accused of censoring and wielding his personal influence on MBC News and MBC's signature investigative program, the PD Notebook, rendering the programs journalistically impotent.

South Koreans have shown support for the strike, although it means that some of their favorite programs are now on hiatus.

An uphill battle

MBC television journalist, Jung Woo-young (@mbcjwy) tweeted [ko] his experience of the strike:

It is the 36th day of the strike. My wife persuaded our kid to stop taking music lessons. The company's president has already fired three people and deployed dozens of company-hired gangs inside the MBC building. The politicians are busy getting nominations, while the media is making considerable efforts to look away from the problem. That is why I so badly want to win this strike.

South Korea's best-selling author and one of the nation's top 5 influential twitterers, Lee Oi-soo (@oisoo) tweeted [ko]:

Look. People of conscience are tearfully quitting their jobs. You – people who submissively and gutlessly cling to their livelihoods – remember that we will all encounter ups and downs in our lives – wait till the moment comes when it is your turn to leave in tears.

The MBC labor union's twitter account @saveourmbc linked to a YouTube video [ko] of a photo montage of journalists fighting for fair journalism including the names of those who were fired:

They also posted a photo of “company-hired thugs” being briefed in the MBC building:

The company later claimed this was when they recruited more building security. RT @saveourmbc: One more photo of company-hired thugs brought in by Kim Jae-chul. It seems that guidelines on something are being given to them in the open studio. There could be up to a hundred of them.

MBC went on strike to restore fairness in broadcast, and anchors have joined the movement as well. I ask this to MBC president Kim Jae-chul: Is the public broadcaster MBC your personal company? Is it the property of powerful people? A vast majority of people are calling for you to resign – do you perceive this as a demand to relinquish your personal property? How would you answer my questions?

HaePonDal [note: Korean acronym for a popular soap opera] hit a snag at the end of the production schedule due to the strike. Mudo [note: acronym for much-loved comedy show, Infinite Challenge] is on hiatus this week too. The world has become a place where people cannot freely use their microphones, pens and cameras. Please don't surrender! Cheers, #Mudo.

When asked in an interview whether he would ever consider stepping down as a way of taking responsibility for the fiasco, Kim Jae-chul responded [ko] that he will not resign until he is, “laid in a coffin.”

I love your articles! Not only does it make me practice my much forgotten Korean, I also very much appreciate the debates and journalistic take on issues (when everyone seems to be only talking about K-pop in Europe) !